Bettys Macaroons – the secret ingredient

27 June 2017

For us, January is all about making thoughtful decisions about indulgences – ensuring that our treats count rather than abstaining from treats entirely. Take our beautifully light macaroons, for example. Their deliciousness brightens this winter month, and you can enjoy them safe in the knowledge that they are made properly, with natural ingredients. Oh, and one very special addition…

In one sense, there are no mysteries to how we make our macaroons. Our craft bakers create them from the same three ingredients used in medieval times: ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. The real secret comes with adding the fourth ingredient. Despite being invisible, it’s the most vital one of all.

“The key to a perfect macaroon is getting the right aeration,” says our Lesley Norris. “The almond flour consists of very fine ground almonds, the finer the better. That’s sieved together with icing sugar – it’s all about getting lightness in there.” Then there are the egg whites, whisked into delicious meringue clouds, weighed by our bakers to test just how light they are, then ever so carefully folded into the mix.

When you open each box of six or 12 macaroons, you may wonder if there’s actually a fifth ingredient – rainbows. The fillings are where our bakers really go to town, with ganaches, buttercreams and pâtes de fruits in a changing array of flavours and colours. This season it’s gooseberry, champagne, chocolate, lemon, passion fruit and raspberry. Next season? Now that’s a secret we’re not telling.